Chapter 029: Wen Ni Plays with Her Younger Brother Like a Dog

Wen Ni’s eyes shimmered with tears. “Uncle, is it not to your taste?”

Jiang Shaozhang replied, “I suppose I’ve gotten used to all those watery soups and bland dishes foreigners eat. Now I can’t stomach our own cuisine. Uncle Zhou, let me tell you, even our pigs wouldn’t touch the food they serve overseas—so how did you manage ten full years abroad?”

Jiang Shaobai glanced at Jiang Shaozhang with a cool, indifferent look.

Naturally.

If Jiang Shaobai weren’t present, even if Jiang Shaozhang had the courage of ten men, he wouldn’t dare speak to Zhou Jingyi that way.

To put it plainly, it was like a childish kid at kindergarten—always more unruly when their parent is around, emboldened by having someone to back them up.

Jiang Shaozhang grew more spirited as he spoke. “Aside from the women being easier to chase, what do foreigners have over us? Uncle Zhou, a man shouldn’t worship everything foreign and despise his own roots.”

Jiang Shaobai rebuked him. “Eat your dinner.”

Jiang Shaozhang patted Wen Ni on the shoulder. “Let’s eat.”

Wen Ni curved her eyes into a smile at Jiang Shaozhang.

Jiang Shaobai noticed his foolish brother’s ears had turned red.

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Just moments ago, the two brothers had been on the balcony.

Jiang Shaozhang had confided to Jiang Shaobai that he was only playing around with Wen Ni, that he didn’t mean it, that it was mostly for revenge.

But still…

Jiang Shaobai simply couldn’t suppress his worry.

A single smile from Wen Ni left his brother like this.

He felt that sooner or later, Wen Ni would treat his brother like a dog playing with a toy.

Jiang Shaobai shook his head.

He dared not think too much about the future.

He drew his gaze back and turned to Zhou Jingyi. “I’d planned to attend your welcome banquet that evening, but something urgent came up at the last minute and I couldn’t make it. Please accept my apologies.”

Zhou Jingyi shook his head lightly. “It’s fine. I left early that day as well.”

Jiang Shaobai continued, “Next time everyone’s free, let me host a dinner.”

Zhou Jingyi nodded.

His eyes swept over Wen Ni, then his gaze dropped, unreadable, as deep as a dark abyss.

...

The dinner ended.

Jiang Shaozhang, eager to please, offered to take Wen Ni home.

Jiang Shaobai pulled him back. “Your Uncle Zhou and Wen Ni are leaving together—why do you need to see her off?”

Wen Ni smiled at Jiang Shaozhang. “Young Master Jiang is right. Be careful on your way home, and let’s meet again another day.”

With that, she got into Zhou Jingyi’s car.

The moment she was inside, her expression turned cold.

She treated Zhou Jingyi as nothing more than a chauffeur.

—

At the Zhou residence

When Shen Xue-ning returned from her studio, she saw Zhou Mingfan’s car parked at the door.

She quickened her pace and called out before entering, “Linchuan, you’re home so early today?”

As she spoke, she stepped inside.

Suddenly, she caught sight of Zhou Mingfan’s face, covered in bruises.

Her expression changed, and she hurried over.

She cupped Zhou Mingfan’s cheeks in her hands, distressed. “Linchuan, what happened to your face? Did you get into a fight? Who did this to you?”

Zhou Mingfan met Shen Xue-ning’s worried gaze and felt at a loss for words.

He said casually, “It’s nothing. I just slipped at the construction site.”

Shen Xue-ning scolded him playfully, “You’re a grown man, how can you still manage to fall like this? You never let me stop worrying. Have you put on any medicine?”

Zhou Mingfan nodded.

Shen Xue-ning sat down beside him.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated.

She glanced at it and saw a photo sent by her private investigator: Zhou Mingfan and Jiang Shaozhang locked in a scuffle.

Shen Xue-ning’s eyes flickered for an instant. She quietly put her phone away, betraying nothing.

She leaned against Zhou Mingfan’s chest and asked softly, “Mingfan, I saw the youngest son of an older lady at the studio today—he was so adorable.”

Zhou Mingfan wrapped his arm around her waist, his voice low and ambiguous. “Ningning, are you that eager to give me a child?”

Shen Xue-ning’s cheeks flushed. “Don’t you want one? You used to say every day that we’d have two sons and a daughter—the older brother would spoil his little sister like a princess.”

Zhou Mingfan replied, “Alright, we’ll do our best.”

Shen Xue-ning bashfully gave him a gentle tap on the chest.

Zhou Mingfan said, “When Dad comes home later, just tell him I’m not feeling well and went to rest. He can’t see these wounds on my face, or he’ll call me useless again.”

Shen Xue-ning agreed.

Outside the villa, the sound of a car horn drifted faintly. Zhou Mingfan hurried upstairs.

Shen Xue-ning went to greet the visitor.

But instead of Zhou Chengli, it was Wen Ni.

In her mind, she pictured Zhou Mingfan fighting Jiang Shaozhang over Wen Ni.

Shen Xue-ning glanced at her watch.

Zhou Chengli was always punctual.

Ten minutes left until he got home.

Her eyes flickered with calculation as a plan formed.

She walked toward Wen Ni, blocking her path.

If Wen Ni tried to go left, Shen Xue-ning blocked the left; if she tried the right, Shen Xue-ning shifted to the right.

Wen Ni stopped and looked at her, arms crossed. “Shen Xue-ning, do you have a crush on me or something? You’re always clumsily creating opportunities for us to meet.”

Shen Xue-ning was speechless. “Wen Ni, are you that desperate for love?”

She sighed, then added in a cool tone, “I suppose it’s not your fault. After all, Zhou Linchuan doesn’t care for you, and Zhou Mingfan doesn’t truly like you either.”

Wen Ni replied calmly, “Yes, yes, everyone adores you—like dung beetles love dung. They can’t live without you. You’re a natural-born temptress, the star of every tawdry romance.”

Shen Xue-ning’s face darkened.

But remembering her plan, she forced herself to stay composed. “Wen Ni, if none of the men around you like you, maybe you should reflect on yourself.”

Wen Ni retorted, “Reflect on what? If flies don’t like me, should I wonder why I’m not a rotten egg?”

She called her a lunatic and shoved Shen Xue-ning aside.

Shen Xue-ning staggered and fell straight into the swimming pool nearby.

With a splash, she hit the water.

She began to cry out for help, shouting that she couldn’t swim.

At that moment, the car horn sounded again outside the villa.

Wen Ni narrowed her eyes. So this was the setup.

She drew a breath, tossed her bag aside, and jumped into the water. “I’m coming to save you!”

Underwater, Wen Ni grabbed Shen Xue-ning by the hair and pulled hard.

Shen Xue-ning grimaced in pain.

Wen Ni kicked her twice, urging her not to struggle, while Shen Xue-ning fought desperately to surface, only for Wen Ni to press her down, slapping her face several times.

Finally, the household staff jumped in to rescue them both.

At that moment, Zhou Chengli arrived.

He looked at his two daughters-in-law, both dripping wet—Shen Xue-ning’s hair was wild, her cheeks swollen, blood at the corner of her mouth, looking like a ghost.

Zhou Chengli, always obsessed with propriety, barked, “What a disgrace!”

Shen Xue-ning knelt weakly on the ground. “Uncle, I don’t know how I offended Wen Ni, but she pushed me into the water. She knows I can’t swim—she meant to kill me. Uncle, you must give me justice!”

Zhou Chengli turned a cold face to Wen Ni. “Is this true?”

Wen Ni replied, “I’m wronged! I tried to save her, but she was too heavy. I couldn’t pull her up, and I swallowed several mouthfuls of water myself.”

Shen Xue-ning sobbed, tears streaming down. “Wen Ni, why are you lying? If you don’t believe me, ask them!”

She pointed at the servants.

Zhou Chengli glanced over.

The servants all lowered their heads, confirming they had seen Wen Ni push Shen Xue-ning into the water.

Zhou Chengli’s face darkened. “Wen Ni, what do you have to say for yourself now?”